Merriment

Christmas week was all about cousin time.  We hung with big cousins, little cousins, college freshman cousins,

hockey playing cousins, donating your cool old cell phone to the littles cousins,

ever so stylin' cousins,

and snuggly cousins.

Hangin' with "Grams" and "Gramps" was super special. 

When you are a hockey family, there always must be some puck time.

We drank hot chocolate, watched Christmas movies,

ooohed and aahhed over the primo gift left by Santa,

decorated sugar cookies,

left a treat for both Santa and his reindeer, 

and, as always, had a healthy dose of silliness.

We Christmased so fully this year that it has taken us a full week to recover.  It truly was a month of festivities, Nativity visits, gift giving, elf following, parties, crafts, getting spiffy for Christmas eve church, singing "Frosty the Snowman", eating, family visits, travel and just generally being holly jolly.  We loved on people and were loved on right back. 

Our girls are at just the perfect age for truly experiencing the magic of Christmas.  Every single snow flurry that fell in December led to an excited, "It's Christmas eve!"  On a daily basis, we had Mary and Joseph roaming our halls either pulling a donkey as they headed to Bethlehem or holding a baby Jesus.  Sophia awoke on Christmas morning and shared that she heard Santa's sleigh bells during the night.  After opening her much beloved music box from Santa, Soph's wanted to "wait until later" to open the rest of her gifts.  For that day, the one gift was enough (Oh, the lessons to be learned there...).  Claire?  She soaked it all in with wide eyes.  She marveled at Christmas lights, got covered in sprinkles and played in piles of wrapping paper. 

Christmas this year was good.  Very, very good. 
(Like you have to catch the flu in order to settle down and rest/recover kind of good.)

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.  Luke 2:11